Law Dictionary of Legal Terminology

ABBEY

ABBEY, abbatia, is a society of religious persons, having an abbot or abbess to preside over them. Formerly some of the most considerable abbots and priors in England had seats and votes in the house of lords. The prior of St. John's of Jerusalem, was styied the first baron of England, in respect to the lay barons, but he was the last of the spiritual barons.